Lila's Tale: An Outlaw Story
by Lilagirl
Summary: Lila McCarty was a simple nurse, but when she met John Tunstall her life went upside down. Especially when she meets her cousin that she never knew...
1. Chapter 1

"Grandma, Tell us about your adventure." Crystal McCarty said eagerly.

"Yeah Grammy!" Her twinbrother Carl exclaimed.

LilaMcCarty sighed and kept rocking in her rocking chair.

"Do you two really want to hear about my western adventure?" She asked.

The two 6 year olds nodded and sat down.

"Alright, Well where do you want to begin?"

"Oh how about how you met Great Uncle Billy and umm grandpa." Crystal smiled.

Lilasmiled back as she remembered her uncle. And as she remembered the love of her life tears gathered in her eyes.

"Well I was living in Lincoln, New Mexico since I was...five I think..."

_In Lincoln, New Mexico. 1878_

'Oh no Julie is going to skin me alive!'Lila thought running toward the hospital.

_'At the time I was working as a nurse, Julie was my mentor.'_

Lilaturned the corner and bumped into someone, sending them both to the ground.

"Sorry, I'm in a hurry." She said looking to see who she knocked over.

"No i'm sorry, I was not watching where I was going." John Tunstall said helping her up.

Lila brushed herself off and studied the new comer to the area. "Oh sorry I forgot my manners, I'm Lila. Lila McCarty."

John kissed her hand and said, "John Tunstall. Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise. Sorry Mr. Tunstall but I have to be getting to the hospital. My mentor is going to skin me alive if I don't get there soon." Lila urgently said.

"Of course, I hope to see you again Lila."

Lila smiled and hurried off to the hospital. 'Well he seems nice enough.'

* * *

Well here it is. My chapters will get longer as I progress but what do you think of the first chapter? Reviews make me happy!


	2. Chapter 2

_After I had gotten an earful from Julie I decided to go practice my weaponry..._

Lila threw her knife at a bucket then shot it. 'Well I ain't doin to bad.'

Suddenly she felt someone watching her so she turned around and came face to face with Sheriff Brady.

"Hello Sheriff, how may I help you?"

"What are you doing?" Brady demanded.

"I-I was uh...I was um..practicing." Lila stuttered.

"Practicing? Woman aren't to use guns or knives." Brady grinned.

Lila glared at him and walked away. 'Oh I hate him! He's such an asshole.'

While she was walking she didn't notice where she was going...again, so she bumped into someone...again.

"Oh sorry." She said looking up. Once again she looked up to John Tunstall, but this time someone else was with him.

"Oh it's alright Lila. I was hoping to run into you again soon. Oh this is Josiah Scurlock." John said gesturing to the man beside him.

"I go by Doc ma'm, pleased to meet you." Doc said kissing Lila's hand.

Lila giggled and curtsied. "Well Mr.Tunstall how are you? And is Doc here your son?"

"Please call me John. And no he's not my son, i'm educating him and a few other young men." John said walking along with Lila.

"Oh alright. So where do you live? I haven't seen you around town very often." Lila asked.

"Me andmy boys live on a farm outside of town. If you want we'll take you there some time and meet the rest of the boys."

"Oh really? That would be great!"

John smiled and led her to his wagon. When they got there Doc hoisted her onto the wagon and got in next to her.

"Well lets be off." He said when John got on.

They got to John's property a couple hours later, and by then Lila was thinking of how little she ate that morning.

"Don't worry when we get there you can get something to eat." John smiled.

When they did get there Lila looked around and saw more young men around. Suddenly she felt nervous. Especially at seeing one of them drinking beer then spitting it out.

'Breath Lila, They won't hurt you.' But she wasn't entirely sure.

* * *

Yeah it isn't much longer then the first one but oh well, I'm trying to get the suspence going...not working though...anyway review please!


	3. Chapter 3

Lila was nervous, from what she could see there were four men around the horses.

"Ah don't worry, the boys won't hurt you." Doc said seeing her sweat.

Lila smiled a small, weak smile and nodded.

"Doc go introduce Lila while I get some supper started." John said getting off of the cart.

Doc nodded, helped Lila off of the cart and took her over to the rest of the boys.

"Hey Doc who's she?" One of them asked.

"Dick this is Lila, Lila that's Dick, Chavez, Charlie and Dirty Steve." Lila noticed that Dirty Steve was the one who spit out his beer earlier.

"Um pleased to meet you all." She said nervously.

"Pleased to meet you ma'm." Charlie said smiling. The others nodded and smiled reassuringly.

With relief flooding through her Lila decided to look around a bit, but she wasn't sure where. John's property was pretty small.

"Do you want to see the horses?" Dick asked.

"Yes please, I love horses, though I don't know how to ride them. Ironic huh?" Lila replied happily. She was starting to feel relaxed.

Dick led her to the horses and left. Lila was left standing in the middle of the barn looking at each horse. Then one caught her eyes.

"Hello who's horse are you?" She asked walking up to it.

The horse snorted and nodded her head behind Lila.

Lila turned around quickly and saw the mexican guy standing there. Watching her curiously.

"Um hi...Is this your horse?" She asked.

He smiled warmly and nodded.

"She's very pretty. What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one yet."

Lila thought for a moment then said, "Star! That can be her name...By the way speaking of names what is yours? I can't really remember."

"Chavez ma'm, and Star is a lovely name. How did you come up with it?" Chavez asked.

"Well I saw the Star shape on her forehead and I thought of Star...Chavez." The name rolled off her tounge very easily. And she was curious as to why a mexican was a regulator so she asked, "Why are you here? I mean why are you a regulator?"

"I don't like to talk about it but in short I met John and he took me in when I had no where else to go." Chavez replied.

Lila nodded and saw another man...Charlie if she recalled, walking toward her.

"Uh hello ma'm. I was just wondering if I could escort you to the house. It's lunch time." He asked holding out his arm.

"Why thank you Charlie. Coming Chavez?" Lila replied hooking arms with both of them, smiling. She was definitly starting to like it here...


	4. Chapter 4

Dinner was a very pleasent affair. Lila quite enjoyed talk to everyone.

"So where are you from Lila?" Dick asked during dinner.

"Originally I'm from Nebraska but when I was seven my parents moved here to Lincoln." Lila replied remembering her parents vividly.

"Well where are your parents now?" Steve asked interested.

"They're dead. They died when I was thirteen."Lila sighed sadly.

"Oh...Sorry about bringing it up." Steve said sheepishly.

"It's alright. I suppose it was for the best. After all if they hadn't died I probably wouldn't have learned how to use a knife and gun." Lila grinned.

Dick raised his eyebrows and said, "You know how to use a gun? And a knife? I bet you aren't better then Chavez with a knife and no one can beat Doc with a gun."

"We'll see." Lila shortly replied. She smiled and kept eating. Suddenly she felt a chill go through her and she knew something had happened back in Lincoln. "John after dinner I need to go home."

"Of course. As a matter of fact Doc and Chavez will take you home when you're ready." John smiled.

"Thank you." Lila just couldn't get over the chill in her spine so she ate quickly.

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When they got back to Lincoln Lila gasped. The hospital was burning down!

"What's going on!" She shrieked when Doc had rode her up to Sherrif Brady.

"Well well you've finally joined us Miss Lila." Brady laughed. "Where ya been? Off with the boys here?"

"Yes! I had dinner with John Tunstall and his regulators. Why?" Lila exclaimed.

"I knew it! She's a hoar!" One of Brady's posse yelled.

Lila gaped and said, "Is that what this is about? You're burning the hospital down because I ate at John Tunstall's place?"

"Nah honey, we're burning it down cause we got nothin better to do." Brady laughed.

Suddenly something clicked in Lila's head. Julie! "Where's Julie?" She shrieked.

Brady shrugged and pointed lazily to the still burning hospital.

"Julie..." Lila whispered. She got off of Doc's horse and ran over to the burning building.

"Lila!" Doc and Chavez shouted. They rode up and got in front of her.

"Get out of my way! There are innocent people in there! And Julie and the other nurses are in there!" Lila cried trying to run around them.

"You cannot go in there! You could get hurt." Chavez said.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? There are innocent people and Julie in there! I don't care if I get hurt or not! They're already getting hurt!" Lila screamed. Finally she decided to run under the horses and she ran to the hospital.

Once inside she dodged the flames and ran to Julie's private office. "Julie! Are you in here?" She shouted opening the door. She saw Julie with a bunch of the sick children huddled up in a corner. The bad thing was they were all shot and dead.

"Julie! No!" Lila screamed. Tears fell from her eyes as fast as rain as she walked over and bowed in front of them. "I am so sorry I wasn't here. I should have been here to protect you. I know gun fighting so I could've protected you." She sobbed.

Flames starting coming in so Lila kissed Julie on the forehead as well as the children's then jumped out of the window.


	5. Chapter 5

Lila jumped out the window and landed right in front of Chavez.

"Lila, are you alright?" He asked pulling her onto his horse.

Lila shook her head and sobbed, "No! Julie, the children, the other nurses! They're all dead!"

Suddenly a new emotion hit Lila, fury. Fury hit her hard as she watched Brady and the other bastards that burned her life down laugh at the burning hospital. Feeling reckless and furious she grabbed her gun and aimed it at Brady. But she didn't fire.

"Oi Brady!" She yelled.

Brady turned and looked at her. At first he was laughing but then he stopped and stared at her gun.

"I'm gonna get you! I'll put you ten feet under and then some for what you did to my life!" Lila yelled. "You just wait! I'll send you back to the hell that saten spit you out of!"

Doc and Chavez nodded to eachother and decided it was time to go. And since Lila couldn't stay there they turned around and rode back to John's place with her still on the back of Chavez's horse.

* * *

"Shh, cry it all out my dear." John said. Lila was on his lap crying her heart and soul out. 

"Uh John, Sorry for bothering you but are we still gonna read tonight?" Charlie asked walking in.

"Yes Charles. Go back to the bunkhouse, I shall be there in a minute." John replied. Charlie nodded and left. "Lila would you like to come with me or go to sleep?"

Lila sniffed and said, "I'll hic come. Just let me recollect myself."

John nodded, got up and left to the bunkhouse. While he was gone Lila pulled out the pictures of her family and of Julie.

"I will avenge you all. I promise." She whispered. She stowed the pictures back into her shirt and wiped off her eyes. Then she straitened her self up and walked to the dining room.

"Ah there you are, sit." John said gesturing to a chair next to Chavez.

Lila sat down and smiled slightly at Chavez, who smiled back.

"Er Lila, you alright?" Steve asked.

"Ye-No I'm not. I just got my whole life burned down. I dont feel very fine rightnow Steve." Lila replied rather harshly.

"Sorry I didn't mean to make ya mad or anything. I was just worried about ya is all." Steve said sheepishly.

Lila sighed and said, "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't get mad at any of you guys. You all didn't burn down the hospital."

"That's right. And don't worry Lila they'll get what's comin to them." Dick smiled.

Lila smiled back and started eating.

"Now Lila I believe you have no more family left?" John asked.

"Nope. Not anymore."

"That means you have no where to stay correct?"

"Yeah..."

"Well then you're welcome to stay here."

Lila and the other guys choked on their food.

"Stay? Are you serious?" Lila asked happily. When John nodded she shrieked, jumped up and hugged him. Then shewent back to her seat and continued to eat.

"Uh John you sure that's a good idea?" Charlie asked.

"Of course it is. She knows how to handle a gun as well as any man here. Plus she may teach you boys better manners." John replied smiling as Lila snatched the bowl out of Steve's reach and handed it to him.

"Well John will I be a regulator? If not what will I be?"

"You need to know how to ride a horse in order to be a regulator," John chuckled when Lila blushed "But you can be the cook. I'm getting to old to cook i'm afraid."

"Um ok then." Inside Lila was worried that she'll food poison everyone on her first dinner...She was a horrible cook.


	6. Chapter 6

"Huh what'dya know, I didn't kill everyone." Lila smiled when everyone ate the food she cooked.

"Yeah you're getting better at it." Chavez grinned.

Charlie and Steve had their mouths full but they nodded fervently.

Lila blushed and sat down to eat. "After dinner I made a dish that my mom made for me. I remember helping her make it but it's a surprise."

They boys quickly ate dinner and were soon grinning and asking Lila for dessert.

"Fine let me get it." Lila giggled and went to get it. She came back with a huge chocolate and vanilla swirl cake. "I hope ya'll like it."

The boys looked like they died and went to heaven while Lila cut the cake. Then they looked the same while they ate it. Even Dick and Doc who were usually extremely well behaved were gulping it down. And John didn't even seem to mind.

"After dinner I want you boys and show Lila the bunk house. She will not be sleeping there of course but I want her to get accustomed to it." He said to Dick, who nodded and went back to eating.

* * *

"Hmm interesting." Lila said when they brought her into the bunk house. 

"Interesting good or bad?" Doc asked.

"Good...it reminds me of the little shack me and my brother made into a tiny club house." Lila replied looking around.

"How old were you then?" Dick asked interested.

"I was twelve. He was eleven. We kept that club house until they died..." Lila smiled grimly. Everyone could tell she was holding back tears so they let her sit down.

"You miss them?" Steve asked.

"Yes...but not so much now. I would give anything for them to come back though." Lila sniffed. But she didn't want the boys to see her cry so she held back her tears and shook her head.

About two hours later Lila fell asleep. When she woke up she felt her pillow moving so she jumped up and looked down. Apparently her pillow was Chavez's chest.

Lila blushed and looked around. Doc was sleeping next to her on her other side while everyone else was asleep in various positions. It was obvious that Doc and Chaves didn't trust the other guys because Chavez's arm was around her waist and Doc looked like he had been up for a bit meaning he was watching the others.

Suddenly an evil thought sprang into her mind so she krept off to find some water. When she came back Dick was waking up so she ducked the water on all of them quickly.

Everyone shouted and jumped up to find Lila on the ground laughing her ass off.

"You...guys were so scared!" She giggled insanely.

"What was that for?" Dick demanded.

Lila shrugged and said, "I wanted to wake you up nicely but the spirit of my brother posessed me to do that. He always used to do that to wake me up."

They grumbled then went to change. When they came back Lila looked and blushed insanely when she saw that no one had a shirt on.

"Erm aren't you guys forgetting something?" She stammered.

"Nope. This is our revenge." Charlie smirked. It was obvious he was enjoying his "revenge"

Lila blushed again when Charlie and Steve put their arms around her waist and let them walk her outside.

"I'm-uh-gonna go see the...horses!" Lila stuttered. She ran off to the stables while blushing furiously. "Humph I hate revenge." She grumbled to herself, but inside she was melting. She walked up to Star and said, "Actually your name is now Spirit, prettier AND you look like the spirit horse."

Spirit nodded and whinnied in approval.

Lila sighed and sat down on some hay. "I dont know Spirit, how am I gonna avenge Julie when all I know how to do is basic defense? Plus John won't ever let me off the property again. Unless I go with him and someone else."

Spirit munched on a carrot and nodded towards where the boys were working.

"Get thier help? Nah they won't help me kill the sheriff, they just met me." Lila replied.

Spirit shook her head and nodded towards them again.

"Maybe if I go into town with John next time he goes I can sneak away from him and shoot Brady in the back then run." Lila suggested.

Spirit again shook her head.

"You're right, stupid plan. Well then what?"

"I suggest you get better thoughts in your head." Chavez said from behind her.

Lila shrieked and turned around. Thankfully Chavez had a shirt back on but it was clinging onto his chest. "Uh I dont know what you're talking about." She said huffily.

"I know you want to get revenge, trust me I know how you feel, but you cant go killing someone." Chavez said softly.

"Why not? He had no problem killing my family! The only family I had left!" Lila argued.

"That's not true...You have us now. We're your family." Chavez smiled and continued, "Besides for all you know Brady did that under someone else's orders."

"So what! He still killed them! Innocent people got killed! Plus now the city of Lincoln no longer has a hospital!" Lila snapped.

Chavez grabbed her hands and said, "That is his problem. You no longer live there. And since he is going to hell after he dies what difference does it make what he does now?"

"Well that's true..." Lila wasn't focusing on the conversation anymore. She was more concerned about what Chavez was doing with her hands. "But I feel so angry."

"I know, but it will pass in time. And then you will not feel angry anymore. You will feel sorry for him because he will be going to a far worse place then we will when he dies."

Lila smiled, leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks Chavez, I feel a lot better now."

Chavez smiled again and left.

"I am starting to really like it here." Lila mumbled watching him leave.


	7. Chapter 7

"John I need to go into town." Lila said walking into the house where John was.

"Why?"

"Because I'm sick of wearing the same thing everyday." Lila replied gesturing to her torn up dress.

"Ahh yes, fine but take someone with you." John smiled.

Lila ran back to the bunkhouse and said, "Ok who volenteers to take me into town?"

"I will." Almost everyone replied.

"Ok I only need one of you." Lila giggled.

"How bout Doc and Chavez?" Dick replied.

Lila smiled and said, "That sounds good."

So she and her two new "bodygaurds" rode into town, careful to avoid Brady at all costs. They rode to a shop and Lila went in by herself since Doc and Chavez refused to enter a dress shop.

"Well howdy there Miss Lila, what do you need?" The store manager, Pat, asked walking up to her. He looked at her and gasped. "What the hell happened to ya Lila?"

"Oh nothing, i'm just here to buy another dress and some pants and shirts." Lila replied quickly.

"Oh ok, you're usual?"

"You got it."

Pat disappeared for a couple minutes then came back with a blue dress, some slacks and a couple blouses. Lila's handmade order.

"Thanks very much Pat." Lila handed him the money then froze when she saw Brady and his possy enter the shop.

"Shit!" She swore and dove behind a desk. She saw Brady walk towards the front desk so she snuck over to the door and bolted out. When she didn't see Doc or Chavez she panicked.

"Where are they!" She muttered angrily.

"Lookin for us?" Doc asked coming up beside her. Chavez was instantly on her other side.

Lila screeched and spun around, "You idiots! You almost gave me a heart attack, what's wrong with you?"

Doc chuckled and said, "Ah Lila we didn't mean to scare you. Just surprise you that's all."

"Oi! You three!" All three of them looked behind them and saw Brady pulling his gun out.

"Oh shit let's get outta here." Doc snapped grabbing Lila's hand and running. They hopped on their horses, well Lila jumped on Chavez's, and they rode out of the city.

"Did everything go smoothly?" John asked when they came back.

"Yup smooth as silk." Lila lied. Doc and Chavez nodded and couldn't help but grin when Lila walked up to her room and tripped on the carpet. "You didn't see or hear that!" She shouted.

"Right!" Chavez shouted in reply.

"Sorry to bother you again Doc but I need to go into town, could you acompany me?" John asked getting his coat.

"No problem John. Be back later." Doc nodded to Chavez and left with John.

* * *

"Hey you two stop fighting!" 

Steve and Chavez glared at eachother and looked towards the house. Lila was standing there in her black slacks and white blouse looking angry.

"Can't you two get along for two minutes without trying to kill eachother? I swear you fight more then me and my brother-" Lila stopped short there and felt tears coming.

"Ah Lila don't cry." Steve said running up to her. "I'll stop hacking on Chavez for the rest of the day." He offered.

Lila smiled and said, "Thanks. I'm sorry it's just I miss my family a lot..."

Chavez walked up to her and nodded in understanding. "I'm sure your family misses you too but don't worry you'll see them again."

"Alright Chavez, Steve wash up and get in your supper clothes." Dick barked riding up. When he saw they weren't fighting he blinked and shook his head. "You're amazing Lila, you made Chavez and Steve stop fighting without having to shoot something."

Lila blushed and before she could thank him she saw John and Doc come back. She grinned and started running up to the cart but stopped when she saw a man in the back looking at her strangely. No he wasn't a man, more like a young man. A boy.

"Who's he?" She asked puzzled.

"I dunno. I guess John bringing in another hard case." Charlie replied riding up to everyone and getting off his horse.

"Howdy Doc, who's he?" Steve asked when Doc came striding up.

"Some boy who was about to be hanged." Doc replied shrugging.

"Well what's his name?" Lila asked curiously.

"Dunno."

After he said that the boy came around and said, "Howdy, i'm Billy."

"Lila McCarty." Lila smiled and curtsied slightly. She noticed Billy narrow his eyes slightly but didn't think anything of it. "And that's Chavez, Steve, Charlie, Doc and Dick." She introduced.

"Pleased to meet you all. I guess." Billy said going over to the pig pen.

"Good John gave the new kid an easy job." Charlie chuckled. He snorted more when he saw Billy trip in the pen.

"Oh shut up Charlie, he's probably new to this." Lila snapped. She huffed and went into the house to make lunch.

"What's the matter with her?" She heard Charlie ask.

After lunch was made Lila sighed and put it out on the outside table. Then went to see Billy. She found him twirling his gun in the air.

"Nice form." She giggled.

Billy jumped and turned around with his gun raised. He relaxed when he saw who it was but he still didn't look very amused.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothin, just wanted to come and get to know ya." Lila shrugged and sat down on the pig pen fence.

"There's really nothing to know, my name is Billy and i'm 19. That's all there is to it." Billy said sitting next to her.

"Well...what's your last name?"

Billy hestitated then said, "McCarty. Same as yours."

"You're kidding?" Lila gasped.

"Nope, name's William H McCarty. But I usually go by William H Bonnie." Billy chuckled.

"Wow, so we're like related?"

"I guess..."

Lila grinned and said, "We have to be cousins. Cause i'm to young to be anything but your cousin, same for you."

"Alrighty then." Billy smiled and put his arm around her shoulder. "So Cousin Lila what do you want to do?"

"Oh I don't know Cousin Billy, how about go ride horses?"

"Alright then."

Lila laughed and noticed Chavez watching them closely. "Hey Chavez come here!"

Chavez shook his head slightly and walked up.

"Yes chica?"

"I want you to give a proper greeting to my cousin Billy." Lila giggled.

"Cousin?"

"Yup, we're cousins!"

Billy shifted slightly and said, "I gotta go get some hog feed." Then he got up and walked off.

"I believe I scare him." Chavez chuckled.

"Why would he be afraid of you?"

"Well for one I threw three knives at his head today."

Lila sighed and got up. She looked over to the stables and said, "Do you wanna go riding?"

"I wish I could Chica but I have work to do. You may ride Spirit though." Chaves smiled and walked off.

"Yeah right, as if she'd actually listen to me." Lila mumbled. She went to the stables and over to Spirit's pen. Spirit was trotting around in her pen, almost as if she wanted to leave.

"You wanna go for a ride girl?" Lila asked. When Spirit bobbed her head and whinnied Lila opened up the door and said, "Alright how about we make a deal. You pretend to listen to me and you get out for a bit. It's a win win situation."

Spirit seemed to be thinking before she bobbed her head again and kneeled down.

Lila smiled and got on. They raced out of the barn and out into the open desert. It felt better then Lila remembered from when she was a kid.

'_Man life here is great._' She thought. But soon enough that would change.

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Yay another chapter done xD R&R!


	8. Chapter 8

"Yes New Years is coming! A new chance." Lila muttered while cooking lunch. She heard someone come in but she ignored them.

"Hey Lila you got somethin to eat?" Billy said walking up to me.

Lila turned around and stuffed a blueberry muffin in his mouth then turned back around to cook.

"Wow this ish good." Billy exclaimed with his mouth full of muffin. "What is it?"

"You've never had a blueberry muffin?" Lila gasped. When Billy shook his head she said, "You poor deprived person! Here take these and give them to the rest of the boys. They might want to try some." And she handed him a basket of muffins.

Billy shrugged and walked out.

"Now where was I?" Lila muttered.

"Lila would you come here for a moment?" John called from outside.

"You know what, if he wants dinner cooked he can cook it himself. With all these interuptions I can't cook anyway." Lila grumbled while walking out. She walked into the yard and stopped when she saw a bunch of men, along with Murphy and Brady, in the yard.

"Yes John?" She asked hestitently.

"Ah there's the beautiful Lila, what are you doing in this dump anyway?" Murphy drawled.

Lila glared at him and said, "John's property isn't a dump. And it's private besides."

"Ah but soon you won't live on this...property. Soon you'll be living in Lincoln again." Brady chuckled.

"Fat chance." Lila spat. She turned to John and said, "Did you want me for something?"

"Hm? Oh yes I needed you to find Billy." John muttered.

Lila noticed him in the pig pen, hiding, but she nodded and started "looking" around. She glared at Brady and Murphy again then went back in the house to finish dinner.

---------------------------------

"So what did they want anyhow?" Lila asked at dinner.

"They were threatening John, claiming that we stole merchendise." Dick growled.

"That's a total lie!" Lila exclaimed.

"Yes but Murphy doesn't seem to think so." John said softly.

"Are we still going to the New Years party?" Lila asked.

"Of course, I will not be detered from living my life." John replied.

Lila smiled and noticed that most of the boys kept glancing back at her. She looked down and almost giggled when she noticed that she was wearing an almost see through blouse and night pants. It was the quickest thing she could slip on before dinner.

"So Lila where do you come from anyway?" Billy asked.

"Nebraska. I lived in Omaha until my dad moved us here when I was about five. When I was thirteen my family was killed so I just stayed here." Lila replied evenly. Surprisingly she didn't feel extremely sad.

"Oh. Sorry bout asking." Billy said sheepishly.

"It's no problem." Lila smiled.

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The next day Lila challenged the boys to a shooting match. She beat Chavez, Steve, Charlie and Billy but Doc and Dick were a bit better.

"Damn I just missed." She growled after she tried to shoot a bucket about fifty feet away.

"Language Lila." John warned. He was sitting on a chair watching.

"Sorry John."

John nodded and went back in the house.

"I can't believe I got beat by a woman." Steve grumbled.

Lila laughed and said, "Get used to it pal. I've been practicing for almost nine years."

Lila smiled as Steve glared at her but didn't say anything. She picked up a knife, threw it up in the air and threw it towards the bucket she shot at. It hit the target dead center.

"Damn she's better then you Chavez." Charlie chuckled.

"Not hardly." Lila giggled.

"Gentleman and lady." John called. Everyone turned around and Lila raised an eyebrow when she saw a young man accompaning John.

"This is Jay McClousky. He'll be staying here." John introduced then smiled at Jay and left.

"Howdy Jay." Lila said stepping forward. She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing he used to ride with Murphy but she didn't mention it. "I'm Lila. Lila McCarty. That's Billy, my cousin, and Chavez, Doc, Dick, Steve and Charlie. The regulators of the place."

"Pleased to meet you ma'm." McClousky said tipping his hat. "And all of you." He added.

Everyone nodded in his direction but Lila was partly pleased to see that Billy was eyeing McClousky with distaste.

"I gotta go make lunch. Be right back." Lila smiled to everyone and pranced to the kitchen. She was starting to feel a bit nervous with McClousky.

"I don't trust him either." Billy said coming in.

"I never said I didn't trust him." Lila replied curtly.

"Nah but your body movements said it all. Not to mention you pretty much rushed away from him." Billy chuckled and sat on the counter.

Lila glared at him and started making some sandwhiches. She stuffed extra meat in Doc's and Billy's since she thought they weren't eating much. Since she didn't know what kind of meat McClousky liked she just stuffed some beef in.

' _I can't wait until New Years._' She thought happily. It was tomarrow and she was positively glowing with anticipation. She was going to wear her beautiful blue dress with lace trimming it and she was sure every male there would be watching her. Good thing she had the boys protecting her. She'd dance with all the boys, plus John, and probably Alex if he was there. It would be the most fun she'd have in a long time, and she'd make sure of it.


	9. Chapter 9

"Chaves stop trying to put your hair up in that stupid braid." Lila growled. She kept slapping his hands away every time they got close to his hair.

"Why? John said I need to look presentable." Chaves replied.

"You are! You look good enough already." Lila smiled. She had yet to get ready for the News Years party but that was only because she spent her time making sure the boys looked good. After making sure he kept it down she ran to her room to get ready.

Ten minutes later Lila looked in the mirror and smiled at herself. She had completely transformed herself from Outlawish to Classy in ten minutes. Pretty impressive if Lila said so herself. Which she did.

"I look like royalty." She muttered. She was wearing a dark blue long dress with special gems sewn in, by her, and had he hair up partly in a ponytail and some of it was down.

"Lila, time to leave." John said from down below.

Lila quickly stowed her gun in a special pocket of her dress along with her knife and ran down. Never hurt to be prepared.

"You look absolutly beautiful." John smiled when he saw her. Lila smiled and took his outstretched arm.

When she walked outside she raised an eyebrow when she saw the boys crowded around a person, she assumed it was Billy.

"Hey boys, what's going on?" She asked.

"Billy shot the bucket from on top of the-" Charlie stopped short and just stared at her. As well as everyone else. Everyone but Billy that it, he just looked relieved that the attention had shifted from himself.

"Hey hey stop starin at my cousin." He chuckled. He walked up to Lila, bowed and said, "May I escort you to the carriage fair cousin?"

Lila laughed and curtsied. "Why yes you may my good cousin."

Billy smiled and helped her into the carriage beside John. Then he got on his horse and stayed beside the carriage.

"You boys coming?" Lila giggled to the rest.

All the boys snapped out of their stupor and hopped on their horses.

They arrived at Lincoln fairly quickly and immediatly Lila spotted Brady and Murphy. Both sitting in front of Murphy's store.

"Howdy Lila, looking lovely." Alex said when he spotted her. He had always been kind to Lila, even when she was constently annoying him as a child. Susen, who was beside him, smiled and said, "You look amazing."

"You do too." Lila blushed. A tap on her shoulder saved her from further complements. Turning around she raised an eyebrow when it was Doc who tapped her shoulder.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked holding out his hand.

Lila smiled and took it. It was nice dancing with Doc, he was nice and gentle and he knew how to go with the flow of the music. All in all he was a better dancer then every other male Lila knew.

"Having fun?" Doc chuckled when he heard Lila sigh.

"Actually i'm having a blast." Lila replied. Then she noticed Doc staring at a woman. A chinese woman by the looks of her. Lila smirked and said, "Interested in her by any chance?"

Doc blushed and said, "Is it that noticable?"

Lila stepped back from Doc slightly, straightened up his coat and hair and smiled. "Go ask her to dance."

"Thanks." Doc kissed her on the cheek and walked over to the Chinese woman.

"Would you like to dance Lila?" Charlie asked from behind her. Lila noticed that he, Mclousky and Steve weren't drunk and she was actually pretty surprised. So she danced with him. After dancing with him Steve wanted to dance so she danced with him. Much to her surprise he could dance pretty well.

"You want some?" Steve offered some beer to her after they danced.

Lila stared at the bottle and shook her head. "Beer and me don't work well at all. Beer makes me do insane things after just one drink."

Steve nodded and walked off somewhere. Lila noticed someone push John so she walked up to him and growled.

"I'll handle it." Charlie murmered.

Lila nodded and watched as Chavez drove off the attackers buddy. After Charlie got rid of him Lila went over to Chavez and smiled.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'm having a lot of fun. It wasn't this excitable last year." Lila took Chavez's hand and led him to where people were dancing.

"Good, i'm having a lot more fun now that you're here." Chavez said warmly.

Lila blushed and felt herself being pulled closer to Chavez. When she looked up at him she smiled, a warm fuzzy feeling was starting to form in her stomach. As if sensing her discomfort Chaves chuckled and held her tightly. Their dance however was interupted by guns firing.

Lila spun around to see who was shooting and noticed everyone was shooting up to celebrate the new year. Obviously it had just turned midnight. So Lila took out her gun and shot up in the air.

"Happy New Year!" She shouted grinning. She looked over at Chaves and felt that fuzzy feeling again. But she brushed it aside as she watched him smile at her and shoot up in the air.

* * *

"Billy i'm gonna need a ride back." Lila giggled. She had interupted Billy from a woman because John said it was time to go. Oh how she loved annoying her cousin. 

"Fine you can ride with me, but don't get used to it." Billy growled but he was smiling.

Lila got on the back of Billy's horse, who she named Star, and waited for everyone to get ready to leave.

"We'll be seeing you soon." She said to Alex and Susan. She loved those two like family, it was very nice to have spent time with them again.

"Let's go then." John said getting his horse to go. They rode for a few hours and in that time Lila just slept. But she was woken up when she heard everyone yell. She jolted up and sighed in annoyance when she saw that they were chasing pheseants.

"Go on Billy, boys will be boys." John chuckled when Billy hesitated to join.

"What about me? I'm not a boy." Lila shrieked when Billy took off. She had a weird urge to look back at John and when she did she gasped. Tons of Murphy men were slowly circling John, moving in to strike.

"Billy go back!" Lila screamed but it was to late. Billy had noticed too but John was shot down after about ten seconds.

"No there're to many! Skin out of here!" Doc shouted angrily when Billy moved to go help John. Reluctently Billy turned Star around and followed everyone.

Lila hadn't noticed that she was crying, or that she was feeling numb everywhere until they had stopped in Lincoln. She hadn't noticed anything, except the fact that her surraget father just got murdered. Just like everyone else she loved in her life. Her parents, her brother, Julie, the other nurses and now John. All of them...gone.

"Lila, come on you have to get some sleep." Lila looked around and realized that she was in Alex's house. And that Susan was talking to her. She shrugged carelessly and went upstairs to the guest bedroom. On her way she looked out the window and saw Murphy standing in front of his store. Unregistered fury took over her as she watched him chuckle at something one of his worms had said.

'_Oh this isn't over Murphy. I will hunt you down, and kill you. I swear to god._' She thought viciously.


	10. Chapter 10

sniff The last chapter was so hard to write ;-; Poor John.

* * *

"Lila wake up hon." 

Lila opened her eyes slightly and said, "Mom?"

"No dear it's me Susan."

Lila groaned and realized she wasn't dreaming. So she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What?"

"Get dressed, John's funural is starting soon." Susan said gesturing to a black dress on a chair.

Lila felt stunned for a minute then she fixed a glare on Susan and said, "I'm not going. Murphy will be near there and I won't be able to stand there without shooting the asshole in the head."

"Lila! Watch your language. Now get dressed. You need to pay your last respects to John. While you're at it you can pay respect to all the others who've died that you know." Susan left her after that.

'_That's true. I can say a proper good bye to Julie and the other nurses._' Lila thought. She felt tears well up so she brushed them away and got out of bed. She noticed she was in bed clothes and her New Years dress was hanging up in the closet. She snatched it and put it on instead of the black dress, John always hated black. The dark blue of her dress seemed to wilt in sadness instead of leap with joy like before.

Lila went to open the door but when she opened it Doc was standing on the other side.

"Oh hello Doc." She said softly.

Doc smiled at her weakly then held out his arm to lead her downstairs. Lila took it and walked ouside with him.

"Lila I thought you were going to wear the black one." Susan gasped.

"John liked this dress better. He hated black." Lila replied simply.

Susan rolled her eyes and walked back over to Alex who was talking with the Chief Justice of Peace. It looked like Dick was going to lead the service though.

"Lila, how are you doing?" Billy asked rushing over to her.

"I'm fine..." Lila sniffed. Seeing John's coffin in the ground made tears well up again.

Doc led her to a chair and let her sit down while he and Billy stood beside her on each side. Lila began to feel like a prisoner so she focused on Dick while he spoke. The problem was she couldn't focus on his words, only the fact that he was speaking and that John was being lowered into the ground. The tears finally burst through and she sobbed for the man who had become a second father.

Billy pulled her up and held her against him while she cried. Making sure to keep telling her that they'll get their revenge. That calmed Lila slightly.

"What if we can't?" She whispered.

"We will." Billy replied firmly.

By the time the ceremony was over Lila had calmed down and was just standing in her cousin's embrace. Watching all the boys she noticed that Mclousky didn't even look sad. Although she thought that was natural considering he didn't know John very well. All the other boys looked striken though, especially Charlie.

"Lila, Alex is talking to J.P again. I'm gonna go spy on what they're saying. You gonna be ok?" Billy asked releasing her.

Lila nodded and aloud him to leave. She just sat back down and looked at the ground. She said a silent prayer for John and everyone from the hospital while crying slightly again.

'_Stop crying Lila, John wouldn't want to see you like this._' A voice barked in her head. '_No more crying. Not now, not ever. Crying is useless, it doesn't bring back anyone and it doesn't help. All it does is make you look weak. And you sure as hell don't want to look weak around Murphy and Brady._'

Lila nodded and wiped the tears away. The voice sounded very much like her brother so she got up and said a silent prayer for him too.

"Alex not one of those boys are over 25, plus Lila is only a woman. Murphy's men would shred them in half within a day." She heard J.P bark. Rage boiled up inside at being called "Just a woman" but she pushed it back.

"Lila can shoot better then half of Murphy's men plus the rest of the boys. She can handle herself. Now are you going to deputize them or not?" Alex snapped.

"Hell no!..No i'm not Alex." J.P replied.

"Then you go tell them." Alex said pointing towards Lila and the others.

* * *

Two days later Lila and the Regulators were riding to find Henry Hill. J.P had deputized them so they're job was to place everyone in Murphy's inner ring under arrest. 

"Ah Lila you're part of the Regulators. Don't count yourself out." Billy chuckled as if reading her mind.

"Nah we _are_ her Regulators. It's Lila and her Regulators." Steve laughed.

"Yeah they sounds good. Lila's Regulators." Charlie agreed.

Lila blushed and tightened her grip on Chavez's waist. Their teasing was getting rather old although it was refreshing.

"Knock it off." Dick snapped. Ever since John died he had taken it upon himself to watch out for Lila. Especially when it came to everyone teasing her.

They stopped at a tiny shack and Dick took out the bounty letter. He handed it to Lila who gave it to Billy and said, "Hill's supposed to have been in there with a lady since noon. If he's in there show him the warrent and bring him out to us."

"Should I go with him?" Lila asked worridly.

"Nah Lila you stay here. Wouldn't want you to get hurt." Billy winked then rode down.

Lila sighed and leaned up against Chavez. Just for good measure she took out her gun. After about a minute Billy walked out then went into the outhouse.

"Now what the hells he doing?" Dick mumbled annoyed.

Henry Hill followed him after a minute or so.

"Billy's gonna get himself killed!" Lila shrieked quietly. She knew if she yelled to loud people down in the shack would hear, not to mention it would hurt Chavez's ears.

A gun shot rang out and immedeatly Dick knew who shot. The Regulator's rode out with their guns drawn and met up with almost everyone in the shack. Lila shot two men that were trying to kill Billy while Jay ran over with Star. Confusion, smoke and bullets filled the air so Lila was shooting blind. All she knew was that those people were shooting on the other side so she shot on the other side.

"Billy! You weren't supposed to smoke anybody! We've got warrents, we're the law!" Dick shouted frantically when the shooting subsided.

Billy just laughed and kept shooting at the dead men. He winked at Lila then rode up to where Dick was.

"Where to Dick?" Lila asked.

"Lincoln, we gotta get some supplies. But we have to hide." Dick replied still glaring at Billy.

Lila nodded. Killing Henry Hill was just a minor set back, they'd arrest people for real next time. Or so she thought...

* * *

Woohoo! R&R and tell me whatcha think ;-)


	11. Chapter 11

Yay another chappie♥ This story is so much fun to write!

* * *

"Nine men lay dead or at death's door yesterday noon following a gunfight between Lincoln resident Henry Hill, forty-five, and what patrons have called a 'kid'." Doc read from a newspaper. Lila was sitting next to Chavez along with Charlie, Steve and Mclousky. "A local miner has identified the kid as one Henry McCarty...also known as William H. Bonney, nineteen or twenty. In a flaming shootout, the kid, Billy, killed Mr. Hill then took on an onslaught of Hill's partisans bringing the damage to six verified slayings. Bonney is believed to be the captain of a deputized gang." Doc finished chuckling. 

"Captain?" Dick repeated.

"How come it don't say nothin bout the two I killed?" Steve complained.

"Shit, Dick, you sent a lamb into slaughter and he walked out a king sheep." Charlie scoffed.

"El Chivato, Billy the Kid eh?" Chaves chuckled.

"Damn. Murphy's gonna want blood, brains and balls for this." Mclousky said worridly.

"Hey it says something about Lila in here too." Doc said surprised. "Billy the Kid's cousin Lila McCarty, whom people are calling Whirlwind Wild, has also joined the kid's hunt for blood. She was once the nurse at the Lincoln hospital before joining up with the gang. It is believed that she has caught the eyes of many of the gang members."

Lila growled and grabbed the newspaper. "Whirlwind wild Lila? Couldn't they have made something better? And what the hell do they mean 'caught the eyes of many of the gang members'?"

Billy was laughing openly now so Lila tossed the paper at his head.

"I'll be right back." Doc said suddenly. Lila noticed Yen walking on the other side of the wall so she grinned.

"So Dick, who's next?" Billy cackled.

"You." Was Dick's reply. Lila was giggling all day after that.

* * *

"Shit." Morten said looking down. 

"What's wrong?" Baker asked from on his horse.

"Nah I think I may have found somethin, horse shit. Been grazing a while. Pretty good eh?" Right after he said that Chavez popped out of the bush and put a knife to Morten's throught. The rest of the Regulators popped out and held their guns up.

"Not that good." Chavez snapped.

"Buenos Dias shitheads." Dick growled.

"You don't understand Dick. By killin Henry Hill ya'll started a war." Baker piped up. Lila's gun was pointed right at his head so he didn't say anything else.

"By killing Tunstall ya'll started the damn war Baker." Dick replied.

"Still we're talking our 50 or 60 to your what? 6 or 7?" Morten pointed out.

"We're gonna bury you, you can believe it." Billy piped up from behind Morten. Morten jumped and looked at Billy like he was insane.

"Quiet Billy. Law don't talk like that." Dick said.

"Ya but law don't kill innocent merchants does it?" Steve agreed with Billy.

"Shut up dirtface." Doc sighed. Morten thought this was a good oppertunity to move but Lila pointed her gun at him quickly so he stayed still.

"I say we take these bastards up to Coppytown Mountain and blow their brains out! What do ya Steve?" Billy shouted.

Steve nodded vigerously but Lila tossed a nut at his head so Steve shook his head.

"Easy Billy. Dick I don't think we should go by way of Coppytown Mountain." Mclousky said slowly.

"Why?"

"Cause I think Murphy will expect that. I think we should just go strait on through to Lincoln." Lila saw Mclousky give Morten a wink so she pulled out her other pistol and pointed it at his head.

"I saw that." She snapped. Billy saw it too.

"What? What did ya see?" Charlie asked.

"He knows what we just saw." Billy chuckled. "You're trying to steer us away from Coppytown cause you know that your men, **Murphy's men**, are waiting to jump us at Lincoln."

"Billy, Lila that ridiculous. Mclousky's one of us. He's a Regulator. Right Mclousky?" Dick sighed.

"Yeah. Jesus Billy. We're all upset about John." Mclousky held out his hand to Billy as a sign of apoligy. Lila glared at him and kept her gun firmly pointed at his head.

"Ah shit Mclousky i'm sorry." Billy said grabbed Mclousky's hand. "Sorry I didn't sniff you out sooner you god damned traitor." And with that he pulled out his pistol and shot Mclousky in the stomach. Lila noticed Baker and Morten running away so she shifted and shot Baker in the leg right when Chavez's knife went into his back. Doc shot Morten in the back but Morten kept going so Steve shot him into the bush.

"Court agerned." Billy smiled.

"Moron!" Dick snapped. "You're out of line you son of a bitch!"

"Richard he was right. Mclousky was acting strange." Doc rose to Billy's defence.

"Then that means we just killed three more Murphy men right?" Dick asked frantically.

"Ah damn it hanging for sure now!"

"What are we gonna do Dick?"

"Shut your fargin lips for a god damn second and let me think!" Dick shouted. He thought for a moment then said, "Ok everyone. Skin up the river."

Steve and Charlie automatically took off but Dick stopped Billy and Lila.

"You better stop believing what they write in the papers. You're no captain and you sure as hell ain't no Robin Hood." He snapped at Billy. "And you, watch your cousin. He may be controlled better with you." He said to Lila.

"Whatever you say Dick." Billy replied calmly.

"Get that idget on a horse." Dick mumbled then he rode off.

Lila noticed Doc standing by the river so she went over and stood next to him. She gasped when she saw that there was blood on his face, Mclousky's blood.

"Doc are you alright?" She asked wiping off the blood with a hankerchief.

"Yeah, i'll be alright. I'm just wondering how many people are gonna be killed before this war is done." Doc sighed.

"Not much more. Dick won't stand any more killin." Lila replied smiling.

If only they knew...

* * *

R&R like soon! x)


	12. Chapter 12

Yoohoo everyone! Man i've been really getting into this story. I think it'll actually be my first story ever finished xD

* * *

"Advices from Lincoln say the young lad...of lightening rapidity, iron nerve and marvelous skill, apparently single-handedly...took down Morton and Baker of the Murphy-Dolan faction...including a miraculous shot of fifty yards." Dick read from the newspaper. Then he chuckled and added, "There's a picture here. It says 'Billy the Kid' but it ain't Billy." 

Dick and Lila jumped up and looked at the picture. Surprisingly it was a picture of Dick.

"Bullshit, papers don't get anything right." Dick growled. Then he handed the paper back to Doc and stalked off.

Lila giggled and grabbed the paper to read the rest. "Advices from sources say that the kid, a left-hander, is tall...handsome and unequaled in the elements...that appeal to the holier emotions."

"Jesus Christ this country needs a hero." Doc mumbled.

"However, Murphy of Lincoln has hired none other than John Kinney...and his Dona Ana Bunch to help hunt down Billy the Kid and the gang." Lila continued.

"Oh great. John Kinney..." Charlie literally twitched.

"Well who's John Kinney?" Billy asked.

"Says here he's an he's an ex-soldier who suffered an injury and is now a bounty hunter." Doc read from the paper.

"What's that mean?"

"It means he'll kick your ass." Lila told Billy simply.

Billy's eyes widened slightly then he sat back down at the fire to think. Steve and Charlie followed suit but Lila and Doc went over to stand with Dick.

"Well, we can't go North because Murphy's got men coming out of Fort Sumner. We can't go South because he's got Brady coming in." Dick said to Doc. It seemed as though he was confused. "East is no good cause we got John Kinney coming up now."

"How about we go through the Mescalero Reservation." Lila suggested.

"I hear they're having a good year with scalps, no thanks." Doc replied. Lila shrugged and noticed Chavez walking by with a bag of rocks.

"What the hell is he doing?" Dick mumbled.

* * *

Lila shuddered at the face paint on Chavez's face that night. It was painted like a skull with black and white...something. She knew it was an old indian tradition but it still creeped her out. 

"We have come to a place where we are lost no?" Chavez spoke. "When an Indian is lost he turns to the spirit world for help. On the Spirit Road, he'll be shown a sign. This is the way to the Spirit Road. We're lost right now...but I'll find us a way."

Steve scoffed and said, "Oh Christ, Chavez! That's all we need, is some more of your red-ass, navajo mambojahambo. We're runnin out of time here, Chavez."

"Shut up Steve." Lila snapped. Chaves passed the cup to her but she only took a tiny sip. She knew what that stuff could do and she didn't feel like humiliating herself. She passed it onto Doc who drank it then coughed. Same as everyone else.

"Is that any good? Chavez, what is, what is that?" Charlie asked before it was handed to him.

"Peyote." Chavez replied simply.

'_Oh sure, no need to tell them what it does._' Lila giggled in her mind. It was obvious Chavez didn't tell them what Peyote does so that they would drink it. She noticed that Dick didn't take any so she felt assured that she wouldn't be the only sane person in the morning.

"Hey that was pretty good..." Billy said before he keeled over and fainted.

* * *

Lila woke up to someone shooting so she grabbed her gun and jumped up. When she saw it was just Steve she sighed and pocketed her gun. Looking around it was very clear that she was the only sane one up considering it didn't look like Dick was up yet. 

At least only Steve was causing much trouble. He kept jumping out of a cave, how he got there Lila would never know, shouting about giant chickens. Doc was standing on a ridge slightly above Steve mumbling about some poetry thing. Chavez was on top of a rock slowly circling around. Charlie had just woken up and Lila saw him barf slightly then wave around his arms like he was caught in a fog.

"Lila, this is insane." Dick said from behind her. She saw his gun out so she assumed he got the same rude awakening she did.

"Yup, but it'll wear off soon...ish." Lila replied. She laughed when she saw Billy throw his gun in the air, into a tree, and then fall down.

"Heathens." Dick muttered before going behind a rock to change and shave and stuff.

Lila glared at the rock then went over to Star and Spirit.

"Hey guys. Crazy huh?" She laughed.

Spirit bobbed her head and Star just looked at Billy weirdly.

"Oh I forgot to name you guys!" Lila realized that she never named Charlie's, Steve's, Doc's or Dick's horses. Doc's horse was named Leo. Steve's horse was named Bonita, since he hated Indian names so much. Charlie's horse was named Nebraska and Dick's horse was named Sunflower.

"There ya'll go." Lila fed them some food and smiled at them. She loved horses but it was a shame that she didn't know how to ride.

"Sunflower? Why does mine have to be Sunflower?" Dick complained. Once again he had snuck up on her.

"Well to late, it'll just confuse her if I change it." Lila smiled. She looked at Chavez again so she said, "Um could I ride with you?"

Dick nodded, helped her up onto Sunflower then got on and called for the Regulators.

Lila laughed when Billy got onto Star backwards. He must have been really out of it. It's a good thing that stuff would wear off by the end of the day...maybe. Chavez led the way and surprised Lila and Dick by heading towards the Mescalero Reservation. Even more surprising was no one was trying to kill them when they went through.

"Hey Chavez how come they ain't killin us?" Charlie asked.

"Cause we're in the spirit world asshole they can't see us!" Steve cackled happily.

Lila raised an eyebrow and looked around at the passing Indian. They weren't so bad if you got to know them. Lila had always liked Indians, despite what Julie had told her. Now being with Chavez just proved that Indians didn't want to kill people.

"They're not killing us because Chavez is wearing that paint right?" She whispered.

"Really? I was wondering why..." Dick replied.

Lila smiled at a little Indian girl with a doll and was pleased when she smiled back. The girl even stood up and walked with Sunflower.

"Hello little one." Lila said slowly. She didn't know if the little girl knew english.

"Hola Chica." The little girl handed Lila her doll then grinned and pranced off back to her mother. Lila looked at the doll and smiled. It was a simple doll that every little Indian girl had but it had a cowboy hat, guns on the side and a L on her vest. It looked a lot like Lila.

"Gracias!" She said back to the girl.

* * *

"So is everyone back to normal?" Lila asked a few hours later. They were stopped at a ridge outside of a little town cause Steve and Charlie jumped off of their horses to throwup. Doc looked like he wanted to but he held it back. Billy got off of Star two minutes after Steve did and joined them in throwing up. 

"Pity, you guys have weak stomachs. Some people drink whole cups of Peyote and can stomach it." Lila sighed. She got off of Sunflower and went over to Doc. She handed him some water and went over to everyone else.

"Then why didn't you take any?" Billy snarled. It seemed he wasn't in a good mood.

"Hell i'm not gonna embaress myself. I left that to Steve."

Steve glared at her and ducked behind a rock again.

"Are you doing alright Charlie?" Lila asked. Charlie have her a weak thumbs up so she giggled and looked around for Chavez. She saw him wiping off the paint on his face by Spirit.

"Hey Chavez, you feeling alright?" She asked walking over to him.

"Yes i'm fine. Shame that they couldn't stomach it though." Chavez sighed.

"Yeah that's what I said." Lila smirked.

"Why didn't you take any?"

"Well I knew what Peyote did and I didn't wanna embaress myself. Plus I trusted that you could find the way to go without me helping. I don't think anyone else's visions helped much."

Chavez nodded and wiped the last of the paint off. "My vision told me that West is best."

"West? What's West?"

"Mexico. My vision told me we're headed for blood, a lot of blood. And I don't want to see anyone else die...especially you."

Lila blushed and said, "I'm not going to die. Neither is anyone else. Dick is smart, he won't lead us to that kind of blood."

"No...but Billy would."

* * *

Yes! R&R please . 


	13. Chapter 13

-dances- Yay another chapter! A bit more fluff in the chapter xD

* * *

"So what else did you see in your vision besides giant chickens?" Lila chuckled. She and Steve were on stake out outside of a little resteraunt shack. Everyone else was eating inside but thankfully Dick gave them both some food to eat while they were watching. 

Steve glared at her and kept munching on his chicken leg. Lila noticed him stiff up and look at something in the distance. It was a horse with a large rider from what Lila could tell.

"Let's go." Lila said sliding down the hill. When she reached the bottem she heard Steve sliding down after her then he slide down right onto her.

"Ow! What the hell Steve?" She grumbled. Having Steve on top of her was making her feel uncomfertable so she tried to slide out from underneath him.

"Jesus Lila stop moving so much." Steve muttered standing up. He helped her up then they ran to the shack.

"Someone's coming-" Lila stopped short at seeing Billy and Dick pointing their guns at eachother from across the table.

"Just one?" Dick asked, he never took his eyes off of Billy.

"Yup, what are you two doing?" Lila asked confused.

"Nothing...who is it?" Billy replied.

Charlie looked out the window and said, "It's Buckshot Roberts!"

"We've got a warrant for him..." Dick muttered.

"Think he's come to surrender?" Doc asked munching on some chicken. It amazed Lila how he could be so...calm.

"Doesn't look like it." Charlie replied frantically. It was clear that he was afraid so Lila thought Buckshot Roberts had to be someone special.

"He any good?" Billy asked.

"He's killed more people then small pox." Charlie snapped.

Lila whistled and Billy said, "Well hell, let's introduce us." He pulled his gun away from Dick and loaded it with somemore bullets. Everyone else loaded and got ready for the obvious battle ahead. Lila put her knife into her ankle holder and stowed a pistol in her belt. The other one she held in her hand. Someone put a hat on her and she smiled when she saw it was Billy.

"Makes you look like a real cowboy." He said proudly.

"Cowgirl." Lila corrected. She smiled when she looked at herself. She looked just like the little doll that the Indian child gave her.

"Let's go." Dick said to everyone. He grabbed his shotgun and walked out. Lila followed closely behind and she heard everyone else follow her.

"We got a warrant for you old man." Dick said once Buckshot got off of his horse...well it was more of a mule then a horse.

"I don't got any buisness with that war no more...i'm here to collect the 150 dollar bounty that their puttin up for the kid and whirlwind. The rest of you little shits is only worth 110 but i'll take it." Buckshot croaked.

"What a sweet disposition..." Doc grumbled.

"All right then, let's dance." Buckshot pulled out his gun and the Regulators jumped behind anything they could. Lila jumped behind a bunch of logs with Doc and realized Chaves wasn't with her. She peaked out and gasped when he got shot.

"Chavez!" Dick and Lila shouted. Chavez crawled over to where Lila and Doc were and leaned up against the logs. Doc popped up to shoot but Buckshot shot him in the hand.

"Ow! Shit!" He yelled. He leaned up against the logs and said, "Chavez."

Chavez looked up slightly and snapped a quick what. Lila popped up to see Buckshot going into the outhouse.

"Billy, go in there and cut the son of a bitch in half." She heard Dick say. "I'm darin ya Billy."

'_McCarty's never turn down dares..._' Lila thought annoyed. She knew Dick was just trying to test Billy and it pissed her off. She looked and saw that Billy barely made it out from his hiding place before a shot went right above his head. He ducked down, went back and said, "Screw that!".

Lila popped out and shot the outhouse. Everyone else kept doing the same for about two minutes then all shooting ceased. It sounded like Buckshot was dieing but Lila wasn't about to go find out. She looked over and widened her eyes at a long gun barral coming out of a hole of the outhouse, and Dick was right in the path.

"Dick wait!" Lila shouted but Buckshot had already shot Dick in the chest. Dick faltered for a minute then fell to the ground dead.

"Dick no!" Lila screamed. She shot the outhouse and was about to go see if Dick was ok but she was held back by Doc.

"Lila don't get in the line of fire!" Doc said pulling her back down. About two minutes later shooting ceased again but Lila didn't notice. She did notice that they all had to get away. She helped Chavez up and let Doc help him to his horse. She looked back at Dick and said a silent good bye and a prayer before jumping onto Bonita with Steve.

* * *

"Where are we going then Lila?" Billy asked when they stopped at a little clearing. 

Lila wasn't paying attention. Her heart ached and her eyes were dry. She refused to cry so instead she consumed her mind with thoughts of Dick.

"Lila!" Fingers snapped in front of her face so she woke up from her trance and looked at Billy.

"What?"

"Where to?"

"I'm going into Patricia if it looks safe." Doc said from on top of Leo. "I gotta write to Dick's mother in Vermont. And get some clean wraps for this." He gestured towards his shot hand.

"All right, just don't go near Lincoln." Billy waved.

"See ya." Doc nodded to Lila and rode off.

"Don't leave...stop leaving..." Lila mumbled. Again one of the people she loved died. It kept happening. Maybe she was cursed.

"Lila come here." Chavez said patting a rock beside where he was sitting.

Lila walked over and sat down. She noticed him holding his arm so she gasped and said, "Let me take that bullet out. I used to be a nurse so I know how."

Chavez nodded and allowed her to pull out the bullet. Without flinching or anything Lila noticed. He seemed to be staring off into space, he barely noticed that Lila was done about 5 minutes later.

"So what's wrong? You seem out of it." Lila asked sitting next to him.

"I need to leave. The blood river is coming closer and I doubt even Billy can escape it." Chavez replied.

Lila pondered that for a minute. It was true, now that Dick was gone Billy had named himself the leader and Lila was sure he would do things his way. Which meant killing everyone who helped in the murder of John. Including Brady. And nothing anyone said was going to stop him.

"Billy won't let us die though." Lila said more to herself then to Chavez.

"How? He will lead us to death which means we will let us die." Chavez said angrily. Then he got up and walked over to his stuff.

"Chavez I know Billy well enough to say that he would never put anyone he cared about in harms way on purpose. If he goes to try and kill anyone else important he'll leave us behind and go himself." Lila snapped. She didn't appriciate Chavez's lack of faith in her cousin.

Chavez spun around and looked at Lila. "He'll ask us to come because he needs us. I don't want to see you get hurt and I definitly don't want you killed." He walked closer as he spoke until he was nose to nose with Lila. "I care about you to much." He whispered.

Lila's breath hitched in her throught but she couldn't bring herself to speak. Instead she just looked at him, waiting for him to do something. As if answering her Chavez leaned down and placed a short kiss on her lips. It was just barely a kiss but Lila knew what it meant. It meant he was leaving. So she grabbed him and kissed him harder, more passionately.

"Hey break it up!" Billy barked spotting them.

Lila pulled away and felt tears in her eyes. She brushed them away angrily and stalked off back towards Billy.

'_Soon everyone is going to abandon me. Everyone either left or died. Next Charlie will go then Steve then Billy. Until i'm left all alone._' She thought angrily and sadly. She sat down next to Steve, who was throwing tobacco into the fire, and huffed.

"What's wrong with you?" Steve asked startled. He didn't hear her sit down and was surprised when she huffed.

"Nothing." Came Lila's short and snappy reply. So Steve took the hint and went over to see what Billy was doing.

"Whatcha doin there Billy?" She heard Steve ask. She got up and went over and sat down on the log that Billy was sitting on.

"Well I figure if I cut down the sight I can get an eight drop on our old friend Sherrif Brady." Billy replied. Then he shot near where Chavez was standing to test out the gun. Chavez didn't even flinch.

"We're not going after Brady. No Murphy men, no more." Chavez said after a moment. "I told you i'd find the way and the way is west."

"West huh? Well west is that way," Billy pointed his gun to the right to emphasize his point. "And the bastards we gotta kill are that way." He chuckled and pointed left.

"The only bastards that are gonna get killed are us Chivato let it go."

"Let it go? Murphy's taking inventory in Tunstall's store right now and you're saying it means nothing to you?" Billy asked angrily.

Chavez turned to look at Billy and Lila saw that he looked pissed. "It means nothing to me? Murphy and his politicians have taken more blood from me than they ever will from you." He growled.

"Yeah, how do ya figure?"

"The Red Creak Sands reservation."

Billy shrugged and looked at everyone, "Never heard of it." He said.

"200 people butchered in the snow with their stomachs empty. My mother's people. You see, Murphy was under government contract to supply us with beef, but two winters ago, he sent only rotten meat. No corn, no flour, just rancid beef crawling with worms." Chavez spat. He took a breath then continued. "A few of my men and I set out to a camp in the middle of the night to try and get food. Oh yeah, they welcomed us in, and then they fired at us. I got away, only me. But when I got back to the Red Sands, I found out that the army had already heard about our big indian uprising and they paid us back. My mother was cut by a saber from her privates to her neck. My sisters were just babies, and they had their heads bashed in with boot heels so the army could save bullets. Everyone at the reservation was butchered **AND IT MEANS NOTHING TO ME?**"

Lila was taken aback. She knew Murphy was capible of murder but that many people? Women and children, all killed without warning. In cold blood nonetheless. Uncontrollable fury passed over her as she pictured the scene, Murphy's men killing those poor people just like they killed Julie and the rest of them. And her family.

"Oh yeah, I went into Lincoln to take Murphy's head. And that's when John Tunstall found me, and he took me in, and he taught me a better way to bury Murphy." Chavez ended. Lila felt a new connection to him now. Both their families had been murdered with them watching or gone. Unable to help.

"He buried John the old Irish way Chavez." Steve piped up.

"And he starved out your family Chavez. Now he's doing it to every small farmer in the territory." Billy added. "But if you wanna run you can go ahead, bye. You have no loyalty Navajo."

"Navajo." Steve added.

"I don't know what your vision told you, but mine told me we're headed for blood. Blood like a river. If I die--and I'm not afraid to--the sacred hoop is broken. I have to go west to make my people live again." Chavez said, then he sighed and walked towards Spirit and stopped. He slightly looked back and said, "Charlie, Lila, you two come with me?"

Charlie got up and Lila said, "I already gave you my answer."

"You ain't saying much Dirty Steve." Charlie said to Steve.

"That's cause he ain't got much to say. Old Steve here knows the meaning of Pals don't ya Steve? See if you have yourself four or five good pals, well then you've got yourself a tribe." Billy explained. Lila noticed Chavez listening so she joined in and said, "If you leave you break our sacred hoop."

"We've got to stick together, that's the only way I see it." Billy agreed.

Lila almost laughed at the look Chavez had on when he turned back around. It was a mixture of digust, anger and understanding.

'_Maybe i'm getting luckier. Chavez didn't leave after all. Now all we need is for Doc to come back._' Lila thought looking towards the horizon.

* * *

Omg they kissed! Yay! R&R and tell me what you think! 


	14. Chapter 14

Hehehe last chapter was so long! And so much fun to write! More in this chapter, even more fluff ;) but you'll never guess what happens o.o

* * *

Lila sighed and turned over. She was trying to get to sleep but it was hard. She kept on thinking about Doc, what he was doing, was he alright, when is he coming back, and she was worried that he may have skinned out. Finally she gave up and crawled over to where Steve and Charlie were sleeping. 

"Hey guys, are you awake?" She whispered. She poked Steve in the side but all he did was grunt and turn over. She did the same to Charlie but he didn't even respond. So she looked for Billy and saw him snoring over by Star. It was obvious he was up late so she didn't want to bother him. So she went over to Chavez and poked him.

"Chavez." She whispered. Chavez opened his eyes groggily then closed them.

"Chavez are you awake?" Lila poked him again.

"I was but not anymore." Chavez said sleepily. "What's wrong?"

"I can't sleep. Plus i'm to cold." Lila said. The next minute she shrieked quietly when Chavez pulled her down beside him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and said, "Better?"

Lila nodded wordlessly and began to fall asleep.

"Night Chavez, love you." She murmered. It was reflex actually, whenever her mom said good night she'd reply with "Night mom, love you.".

"I love you too chica."

* * *

"Hey you two time to get up." A voice shook Lila out of her dream. She opened her eyes and saw Billy leering down at her. She forgot about Chavez until she tried to get up then was pulled down by Chavez's arm around her waist. 

"I don't want to get up Chivato." Chavez muttered with his eyes still closed. "After all the hell you've put everyone through recently we deserve some decent sleep."

Lila chuckled at Billy's annoyed expression and got up from her sleeping place. She heard Chavez sigh and follow.

"Did you want something Billy?" She asked.

"Yeah I need you and Steve to scount around." Billy said absentmindedly. He was still looking at Chavez funny so Lila shrugged and went over to Spirit.

"Hey girl, you think I can ride you for one afternoon?"

Spirit whinnied and bobbed her head up and down for an answer. Lila grinned, got her stuff and mounted Spirit. To her surprise it was actually easy to guide her. So Lila rode over to Steve and said, "Well come on then."

Steve got onto Bonita and they rode around a bit. Looking around fruitlessly.

"Why did Billy tell me to do this? It's so boring." Lila complained. She gazed around and saw nothing but rabbits for the hundreth time that day. Beside her she heard Steve mumble something and she could tell he was just as bored at she was.

"Wanna race?" She asked looking at Steve.

"Like you could win. You barely know how to ride." Steve chuckled.

"You're on." Lila smirked and took off. She laughed when she heard Steve curse and follow her. Urging Spirit on she turned slightly left and kept on riding until she was about two miles away from the camp. Wind was whipping past her but Lila didn't particularly care at that point, all she cared about was beating Steve.

"I'm catchin up!" She heard Steve yell. She looked behind her and saw him closing in so she urged Spirit to go faster. She slowed down a bit after about five minutes then stopped at a large rock.

"I won!" Lila laughed, jumped off of Spirit then stood on top of the rock to wait for Steve. Once he got there she jumped on the back of Bonita and said, "Haha I beat you! I won! You got beat by a girl, again." then she slid off and got on the rock again.

"Don't get used to it. I'll beat you back." Steve said huffily.

"Aww don't be mad that you lost." Lila giggled. She grabbed a cantine of water and gulped some down only to spit it out again digustedly. "Ew there's beer in there!"

Steve perked up and grabbed the bottle.

"Ugh I hate whiskey." Lila shuddered.

An evil grin spread over Steve's face and Lila didn't like it. She narrowed her eyes at him but didn't say anything.

"Want some then?" He chuckled.

"Don't make me hurt you."

Steve shrugged and got off of Bonita. Lila looked out towards the horizon and wished Doc would ride up from it, or better yet she wished her family would magically appear and whisk her away. Sighing she turned back to the real world and grabbed her cantine to drink. It tasted a bit strange but Lila ignored it. After drinking her whole cantine she got back on Spirit and said, "Race you back!" then took off riding.

When they got back Lila plopped herself down on a log and held her head. She felt dizzy but she just figured that was from riding so fast. Then she felt airheaded and she realized that she was getting drunk. See for her it took about an hour for whiskey to digest into her system, and by then she would be acting completely nuts.

"Steve..." She growled angrily. He must have spiked her water. She looked up from her spot and saw him talking with Charlie by a rock near the horses. Growling she got up and stalked towards him angrily.

"What's wrong with you Lila?" Charlie asked noticing her furious expression. He jumped when Lila grabbed the front of Steve's shirt and shook him.

"You asshole! You mother fucking asshole!" She shouted shaking Steve hard. "You knew I couldn't handle whiskey and yet you spiked my cantine with it!"

"Get off me woman! I don't know what you're talkin about!" Steve squeeked.

Lila growled and was about to do something drastic but four arms pulled her away from Steve. Breathing deeply and furiously she turned and saw it was Billy and Chavez who grabbed her. Charlie was still looking shell shocked.

"Can uh I see your cantine?" He sputtered.

Lila threw her cantine at him and fixed her death glare back on Steve who was pale as a ghost.

"Lila this ain't your cantine! This is mine." Charlie shrieked. It was kinda funny to hear a man shriek actually.

"Huh?" Was all Lila could say.

"It has my name on it." Charlie showed her the little CB marked at the bottem and Lila almost choked.

"So if that's not my cantine why am I getting sick?"

"I did have some whiskey mixed in with my water." Charlie opened up the cantine and shrieked again. "You drank my whole damn cantine!"

Lila ignored him and turned back to Steve sheepishly. "Sorry bout that." She mumbled. Steve just grinned and pulled her into a one armed hug.

"Ah I forgive ya. I'd have done the same myself."

Lila pulled away and sat back down on the log. She knew she would be drunk as a skunk soon so she just sighed and got some water. It would be hell in about thirty minutes for everyone.

'_Boy I can't wait to see what idiotic things i'm gonna do._' She thought angrily. '_I can't believe that I couldn't taste the damn whiskey in that water! I should have, why didn't I?_'

* * *

Soon Lila was giggling and couldn't even stand. So she opted for sitting on the log swaying her head whenever the fire flickered. Heading her words of caution the other Regulators stayed a good ten feet away from her but kept their eyes on her to protect her. Even in her drunked state she could still shoot though, seeing as how Steve spit out some tobacco and Lila shot it from 5 feet away. 

"Where is (hic) everyone?" Lila slurred. She looked around through blurry eyes and noticed someone walking towards her. "Yay another person!" She squeeled.

"Lila you should lay down and try to sleep." Chavez said picking her up.

"Yeah you could hurt yourself." Steve added taking her guns and knife.

"Hey gimme those back!" Lila snapped. "I need them to kill everyone who killed Dick." She barely muttered the last part.

"You'll get them back in the morning." Chavez dropped her onto her bedroll and tucked her in. Steve handed her some water and said, "Need anything else?"

"Mmhmm, don't I get a good night kiss?" Lila giggled when both men froze, not sure who she was talking to.

"Uh..."

Lila smiled, reached up and kissed Chavez lightly before passing out.

Both men just stood there, stunned until Billy called them over to ask if Lila was asleep. Chavez just shook his head and walked back while Steve chuckled and stood guard on a rock above Lila.

* * *

"Stop shoutin you idiots!" Lila yelled the next morning. She heard the Reguators chuckling but before they were talking very loudly. 

"Sorry Lila, you feeling better?" Billy asked.

"Peachy." Lila snapped. Her head felt like it was going to split open so she assumed she was experiancing her first hangover. And boy did it feel like hell. She grabbed her blanket and put it over her head angrily to block out the sun.

"Lila come on out." Billy laughed. He poked her blanket until she emerged looking pissed.

"What?" She growled. She was not in the mood to deal with her idiotic cousin right now. All she wanted to do was take a nap until she wasn't feeling horrible.

"Maybe you should eat something. It always helps me." Steve said coming over to her and offering her some stew. Lila grimaced and shook her head. If she ate anything she knew it would come back to haunt her.

"Suit yourself." Billy chuckled grabbing the stew. Steve glared at him and walked back to get some stew for himself.

Lila just growled to herself and threw the blanket back over her head. It was bad enough that she had a hang over but she didn't want the others to pity her or see her like this. Plus she couldn't remember what she did last night but if she was drunk it had to have been embaressing.

"Come on Lila you didn't humiliate yourself at all." Billy laughed. Again Lila could swear he could read minds or something.

"I didn't?" She asked peaking out from her blanket.

"Nope. You did kiss Chavez though."

'_...huh?_'

* * *

Yay cliffie xD Kinda, anyway R&R! 

:P The drunk scene was so fun to write. So was the race scene


	15. Chapter 15

Boo yaness xD this chapter is filled with all the cursing, shooting and fluffy stuff that we love so much!

* * *

"Hu-huh?" Lila stammered. 

"You kissed 'em. Plain and simple." Billy grinned.

Lila paled and thought hard about last night. She could recall Chavez and Steve coming over to get her to bed but she couldn't remember anything past that. Which frustrated her to no end.

"Ah don't worry bout it, he's probably forgotten all about it." Billy chuckled and went back to his log.

Lila could feel her eye twitching so she got up and washed up with some water from her cantine. She wouldn't trust any body else's cantines anymore so she etched a large L on her cantine. Once she looked presentable she went over to Spirit and put her cantine on the saddle.

"Did you have a good sleep?" She murmered. Spirit bobbed her head in responce so Lila patted her on the nose and walked over to where the Regulators were.

"Mornin Lila." Charlie said when she sat down. He offered her some stew but she shook her head. "You alright?"

"Yeah i'm fine but i've got a hell of a hangover still. I don't think I can safely eat anything right now."

Charlie nodded in understanding and patted her shoulder. Next to him Chavez was regarding her amused. She could pretty much tell he was laughing inside that she couldn't handle a hangover. So she just stuck her tongue at him and looked for Billy and Steve.

"Hey Steve!" Billy yelled. Lila looked up and grinned when she saw Doc riding back.

"What?" Steve shouted from over by a bush.

"Doc's back! I told you he'd come back!" Billy shouted with glee.

Lila jumped up and ran over to Doc, who had gotten off of Leo, and jumped into his arms.

"Don't leave again. You and I are the only sane ones here." She muttered hugging him.

"Don't worry I won't."

Lila smiled and pulled away. She noticed he had a far away look so she had a feeling that he had indeed gone to Lincoln...to see Yen. Which was only natural, he had been talking with Lila about nothing but Yen ever since he met her. He was infatuated with her.

"How was Yen?" She asked.

Doc looked shocked then he grinned, "You never cease to amaze me. She's fine although I wish she would have come with me."

Lila nodded and heard Billy call the Regulators to get on their horses.

"Ride with me?" Doc asked holding out his arm. Lila giggled and took it to get onto Leo. She didn't even notice the almost hurt look on Chavez's face.

* * *

"He ain't all there is he?" Steve asked Charlie and Lila. Once again Lila was stuck with Steve and Charlie to be back up. Doc had climbed onto the roof while Chavez stayed back to ambush Brady. Billy, who was out of his mind, was skipping behind Brady tauntingly. 

"No Steve I don't think he is." Lila murmered unbelievingly.

In the blink of an eye Billy had thrown his hat in front of Brady, stolen Brady's gun and shot him in the stomach. Lila gasped and ran out, shooting all of Brady's henchmen. She turned and saw that Doc almost got shot from atop the roof so she growled and shot the man who tried to kill him. Suddenly pain shot up her leg as someone shot her.

"Shit." She shouted falling to the ground. "Lucky bastards got a lucky shot."

When the shooting stopped Lila saw everyone of the Regulators unscathed while Brady and all his buddys were dead.

"Could someone help?" She snapped. Immedeatly four arms helped her up and she saw that it was Charlie and Steve. They plopped her on a barrel, which hurt her behind.

"Shit Lila that's the first time i've ever seen you get shot. And here I thought you were invincible." Billy chuckled. He wasn't amused that she got injured, he was amused cause she was muttering curses under breath so fast it should have been illegal.

"Lila are you alright?" Chavez asked concerned.

"Hell i'd be a lot better if I didn't have a damn bullet in my damn leg." Lila growled. She softened though at the look on his face and said, "Yeah i'll be fine Chavez. Don't worry bout me."

"Impossible." Chavez replied.

Lila blushed and tried to stand up. However she fell right back down on her butt. Growling at Charlie, Steve and Billy, who were laughing, she grabbed Doc's and Chavez's shoulders and told them to walk ahead to Spirit. Once she was there she got on, with Chavez's help, and sat there until the idiots stopped laughing.

"Aw Lila if you hadn't gotten shot I would have suggested that you take a picture with me. But it looks like you can't walk so wait there." Billy laughed and walked off with Charlie and Steve behind him.

"Can I shoot him now?" Lila asked Doc.

"Not yet." Doc chuckled mounting Leo. Chavez also laughed and got onto Spirit behind Lila.

"Are we leaving soon? Murphy will probably be here any minute." Lila said nerviously. It wasn't that she was scared of Murphy it was that she was injured and she didn't want to get into a shooting right now. She couldn't protect the Regulators with a bullet in her leg.

"As soon as Billy comes back we'll head out to see Alex and Susan." Doc replied.

"Alright. I just don't want this taking longer then it should." Lila sulked.

* * *

"It's for you Alex." Billy said holding out his photo. Alex just looked at it. 

"You weren't supposed to touch Brady." He snapped.

Billy withdrew the photo and said, "Brady was one of the men who killed John, it was a good move for us."

"Oh was it Billy?" Alex shot back. He took out the paper from inside his jacket and tossed it at Billy. "Have you read the Independant? The states revocked your deputization powers. You're now wanted by not only John Kinney and Murphy's men but you're being hunted by troops, fort stanton Billy, the US army!"

Lila widened her eyes and took the paper from Billy to read it. It also said she was as wanted as Billy was.

"You were supposed to serve eleven warrents and expose the ring. Instead you went out onto the warpath, on a ramage! Now Richards dead! And we're living up here like fugitives! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Alex yelled. Lila winced, she'd never heard him that angry.

"I don't know." Billy mumbled. He sounded like a little seven year old being yelled at by his mom. "Maybe i'm trying to get some attention, maybe i'm trying to get President Hayes to look this way. He lets Murphy and his bankers get away with anything and I can't allow that! The more bastards we dust, the more new stories they write. The more President Hayes will have to raise an eyebrow, then come down here and see for himself what's really going on. Then he'll really see who's doing the killin'"

Alex rolled his eyes then turned to Lila. "I asked you to keep him out of trouble. You said you'd make sure he stayed in line. What happened?"

"I did. But when Dick died Billy became the foreman, so he's in charge. Besides he's my cousin, I have to help him..." Lila replied looking Alex in the eyes.

Billy handed Susan his picture then walked off. But not before throwing his badge on the ground and saying, "Regulators, let's ride. See you around Alex."

Everyone followed suit except Lila and Doc.

"What happened Doc?" Alex asked.

"It's a whirlwind out there Alex, once you're in you can't get out." Doc replied softly. "I was wondering if you remember that China doll, the one from the dance." When Alex nodded he continued, "Well I was wondering if there was some legal way to-"

Alex cut him off by saying, "I don't even have any ground to stand on anymore Doc."

Lila narrowed her eyes and grabbed Doc's arm to lead him to the horses. Ever since he came back from Lincoln Doc had been depressed for some reason. So Lila had become his support.

"Lila, ride with me?" Chavez asked when they came to the horses. Apparently he stayed back too.

"Sure." Lila waited until Doc was up on top of Leo before jumping onto Spirit behind Chavez. She noticed him stiffen his shoulders when she placed her hands on them so she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes, just sick of riding."

Lila pursed her lips but leaned against Chavez's back, taking special notice of the way he stiffened again.

'_I wonder what's wrong with him..._' She wondered. What she didn't see was Chavez's smile, or Doc's confused look.

* * *

Yay another chapter! R&R! Doc seems to be getting confused by Lila and Chavez's developing relationship :o 


	16. Chapter 16

Mwahahahaha another chapter ;D i'm gonna try and finish this story soon o please review so I can update sooner!

* * *

"Steve you idiot! What'd you do that for?!" Lila growled. Her and Steve were looking for Billy, who disappeared, to tell him to calm Charlie down. After Steve had to go and open his mouth about the hanging Murphy was planning for them. 

"What? He needed you know." Steve mumbled.

Lila narrowed her eyes at him and almost ran into Billy. She stumbled back but Steve caught her from behind.

"Where have you been?" She snapped at Billy, once she got back up.

"Keeping a lookout. What's wrong with you?"

"Ask Steve." Lila huffed and started walking back to camp. '_Steve knows Charlie has a weak stomach. I bet he did that one purpose, the idiot._'

Once they all got back to camp she walked over to Charlie, who was fidgeting, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Steven told him about the party that Sheriff Peppin's planning for us." Doc told Billy. He looked more stressed then usual, along with Chavez. Lila was a bit afraid of what she looked like.

"Party? Oh you mean the hanging?"

Chavez told him to shut up in spanish and leaned against the rock wall beside Lila.

"Goddamn it, Billy? You ever see a man hanged? His face turns flat purple... and his eyes come up on him." Charlie shrieked. Again it was rather funny but Lila chose to ignore it. She gulped and rubbed her neck slightly, beside her she saw Steve do the same.

"Yeah, I seen Red Smitty hang. Seen his head come clean off!" Billy laughed. It was kind of sick to hear him laugh about someone getting hanged when they were facing the noose themselves.

"Billy! I don't think Charley wants to hear about Red Smitty. I think that what he'd like to hear is that we're not going to hang." Doc snapped.

Charlie twitched again and said, "You mess your trousers they say. Gals watching and everything."

Lila coughed a bit at that and Charlie rolled his eyes.

"If we get caught, Charley, we're gonna hag. But there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip." Billy smiled as if he gave them a shiney ticket to New York. Lila smiled with him though, that was John's favorite saying.

"We gotta do something before they catch us. You all gotta let me do something." Charlie twitched. Lila sighed and gave him some water to calm him down. It was like taking care of her brother when he got scared.

"Alright Charlie." Billy nodded at Charlie's "last request" and went to get the horses.

"Alright who am I riding with?" Lila asked. She giggled when everyone looked up but she chose to ride with Chavez again. Spirit seemed to conect with her better then the rest of the horses.

They rode to a small town, which Lila still didn't know the name of, and Lila raised her eyebrows at where they stopped.

"Wonderful, a whore house." She mumbled.

"Damn Charley, this is your last wish. Did your little carrot wet, you could've done that back in Juarez." Steve chuckled. Charlie blushed and shook his head slightly.

"Some kind of a special woman, Dirt Face. You'll understand that one day." Doc said as he got off of Leo. Lila glared at him when he said that but she ignored it.

"Charlie if you think i'm giving you money you're stupid." She growled.

Charlie shook his head again and whispered into Lila's ear. Surprise came over Lila's face and she nodded. So she gave him some money, dispite what she said before. This was different then what she thought.

'_Poor Charlie._' She thought. She overhead the gang still arguing about "special women" and was thinking about shooting them but settled for stalking into the bar.

"I need 4 beers and a glass of water." She told the bartender snippily. The bartender looked taken aback at seeing a honorable woman in there but he obliged. After paying Lila noticed every man in the place staring at her but glaring at them seemed to work. She sat down at a table and noticed some mexican women sitting at the table beside her, watching Chavez as he walked in with the others.

Almost right after he sat down one of the mexican women started walking towards him but a growl from Lila sent her back to her seat.

'_Damn whores._' She huffed. A chuckle startled her from her thoughts and she saw Chavez smiling at her.

"While I appriciate it, sending women running doesn't seem like you Lila." He smirked. Behind him the mexican women were either glaring at her or gazing dreamily at the gang. Lila saw one of them look at Billy's ass when he stood up.

"Oh shut up." Lila snapped. She was smiling though so Chavez knew she wasn't angry.

"Once they come Billy the Kid is flat 200 dollars dead on this bar. And his damn cousin is 200 dollars worth of whore to stick somewhere."

Billy and Lila heard that and turned around to see Texas Joe Grant standing at the bar, gloating to a waitress.

"Damn he came out all this way to try and kill us?" Lila whispered. Billy winked and walked up to Grant.

"So you really gonna kill Billy the Kid?" He asked in an innocent tone.

"Yeah if he's man enough to come around here." Grant replied.

"What about Whirlwind Wild Lila?"

"Shit i'll send her to a whore house, and she'll go if she knows what's good for her. She's got way to good of a body to kill, or be put to waste."

Lila twitched and saw the others stiffen. Chavez was inching towards his knife and Doc tried to look calm but she saw him also inching for his pistol. Steve was chuckling, although he looked more amused at Billy then by what Grant said.

"Is that the gun you're gonna kill him with?" Billy asked. When Grant nodded Billy added, "Can I touch it?"

Grant looked confused so Billy continued, "You know I really admire you and I sure would love to touch the gun that's gonna kill Billy the Kid."

"You know iron boy?"

"Yes sir."

Grant smirked and said, "Well go ahead then, take a look. Then pass her back, that gun there killed Ed Rollins."

Billy chuckled and mouthed _Bullshit_ to the gang, Lila giggled and watched as Billy took the bullets out of the pistol while Grant was ordering more whiskey.

"Alright pass her back, you stroke a man's gun like that you might as well be strokin a man's woman." Lila noticed Grant flicker a look over to her then back to Billy. Once Billy gave the gun back he said, "Well, I'm leaving now and I wanna know what I need to look for, in case I see them, so I can come back and tell you."

"Well the Kid dresses like a dandy, has a way with women and is left handed. Folks say he's fond to whistling sad ballads. Whirlwind looks much like your normal whore only she dresses in mens clothing. And she has a way with horses. You see anyone who fits those bills you just some whispering to me alright?"

Billy nodded and turned to look at the mirror behind the bar. He gestured for Lila to join him so she did, however reluctantly.

"Hey, I see them!" Billy exclaimed. Lila rolled her eyes and tried to walk back to the table but Billy had a strong grip on her arm.

Grant looked around before looking back at Billy annoyed. Billy was enjoying himself so he pointed to the mirror and said, "Right there, don't you see them?"

"Alright boy i'm getting sick of your wise lip. Why don't you head out of here before I have to drop your britches infront of all these fine ladies and spank your little bottem blue." Grant growled. He gave Lila a once over and she glared in responce. Then Billy had to start whistling Silver Thread among the Gold, badly.

"Boy you are a testy cuss." Grant whipped out his pistol and tried to shoot Billy but it ended up just clicking. Lila pulled out her pistol and raised it at him right before he registered who he was standing in front of. She shot him and watched as he sunk down the wall, staining it with blood. Lila sighed and walked back to the table.

"Doc how many does that make, twenty? Twenty five?" Billy chuckled.

"Five."

"We'll call it ten. Ten even, how'd that be?"

"Whatever you say Billy." Doc sighed.

Suddenly Charlie busted through the door and said, "John Kinney!"

"Shit!" Lila swore and jumped up. They all ran out and hopped on their horses right when John Kinney entered the town. Without thinking Lila jumped onto Spirit and started riding off, thankfully Chavez had gotten on before her but she ended up in front of him. So amazingly she was steering Spirit.

* * *

Thorns and pricks were stinging Lila but she ignored them as she tried to steer Spirit out of the bushes. She saw Billy in front of her turn sharply to the left so she followed. They ended up in a small river below Kinney so they could ride to safety. 

"God Billy, that's the last time I ever follow you anywhere." Lila grumbled. They had rode to a hot spring to bathe, eat, take thorns out of their butts, etc.

Billy chuckled and continued to read a dime store copy of himself.

Lila huffed and sank deeper into the water. She, unfortunatly, was stripped down to her bare skin in her own little hot spring. Doc and Steve were in the one next to her. Hot water felt good again.

"I ain't left handed." Billy mumbled to himself.

"So Billy I was thinking about our route, it looks like we're going around in a big circle and next is Lincoln and we can't be-" Doc got interuppted but Billy, as usual.

"We are."

Lila almost choked on the water and sat up. Steve had about the same reaction and Doc said, "Christ in heaven Billy what are you thinking?"

"Lincoln is where we'll find the rest of the men who killed John. We find them and we can end this war."

"Billy it's a hundred against six."

"It's a hundred against six." Billy mocked.

"Billy what the hell are you thinking? I want to kill Murphy as much as you do but going to Lincoln and taking him head on is suicide!" Lila snapped. "Stop reading the papers for once and get your head back to earth. We can't win this war, not the six of us. Especially if we charge in head first to get ourselves shot in the ass!"

Billy rolled his eyes but Lila continued, "Now I will stick with you until hell freezes over, which it might soon, but I am not dying because you had to be stupid. We need a better plan then that."

"I say we go west." Chavez spoke up.

"Oh no here we go again." Billy sighed.

"No I followed you. I chose your way chivato but I don't trust it anymore." Chavez growled. "I have seen the way and the way is west."

"West huh? You're all scared aren't you?"

Lila and Steve scoffed at that but Charlie nodded. Doc and Chavez remained silent. Lila could tell Billy was reeling them in though.

"Trying to make to old mexico, that's a hoot." Billy laughed.

"How do you mean?"

"They'll be covering every which way from Texas to Arizona. And there's a three day ride through them thorns we all like so much, which also makes a great hiding place for scalp hunters and renagaid indians. Trying to make it to Old Mexico...well that the test of all tests. I'm in." Billy grinned, patted Charlie on the shoulder and walked to the horses.

Lila could feel her eye twitching again and Doc said, "I'm really not liking him."

'_Old Mexico sounds nice. But I have to stick with Billy, he's the only family I have left. Even if it takes me away from my surraget family._' Lila looked around at the gang. Doc's golden hair was all wet and Steve kept spitting tobacco on the same rock. Charlie was fidgeting over by a tree while drinking some whiskey. Chavez however was sitting on a rock, watching Lila as intently as she was watching everyone else.

'_What if one of them dies?_' Lila got a twisting feeling in her gut just by thinking that. She had already lost John and then Dick, it would destroy her if anyone else got killed.

"Lila. Do you have any thorns?" Doc asked.

"Yeah, they hurt like hell."

"Come here, i'll take them out for you." Doc offered. He looked at Steve pointedly so Steve jumped out of the spring to make room for Lila.

"Alright alright, close your eyes." Lila growled at everyone. Once everyone had turned around she quickly jumped out and put her undergarmets on. She looked at least a bit more presentable. "Ok turn back around."

She hopped into the hot spring, ignoring Steve's hungry look, and showed her leg to Doc.

"Damn thorns. I'm serious, that's the last time I follow Billy-ow!-anywhere. I'm leading -ow!- from now on -ow!- Damn!"

Doc chuckled and kept taking the thorns out. Once they were all out Lila sighed and felt a bit better, a bit holy but a bit better. She jumped though when she felt a hand brushing her leg, on purpose, underwater. When she looked down she saw Doc's hand but when she looked back up his hand moved. He seemed uncomfertable so Lila dismissed it as an accident.

"Alright regulators, let's saddle up! Lila, get your clothes on!" Billy shouted. He held up her clothes for her and allowed her to clothe behind him and Star. He kept glaring off the rest of the gang which Lila felt was sweet.

'_He'll have to get over it if i'm going to be with Chavez though._' She thought when she mounted Spirit. Chavez was sitting behind her again and was stroking her stomach slightly.

'_I'm suddenly loving riding._' She thought happily.

* * *

Yay another chapter done and gone ;D R&R or perish!


	17. Chapter 17

I'm way sorry about the lack of updates D: I got bored with YG and for that I am ashamed. But no more! I want to finish this story and I feel that my writing ability has improved vastly since I started this story. Get ready for it to be mind blowingly good ;D And yes I do brag, and yes I know my writing isn't even good enough for me to brag. Even though no one will probably review since not many people know about YG i'll still update, and hopefully it'll take me less then a year to finish xP

Disclaimer: I want to own the Regulators but sadly I don't :( I only own Lila.

* * *

"Where are we going anyhow?" Billy asked from atop Star, directly behind Chavez and Lila on Spirit. The rest of the gang was hanging back a bit, which Lila thought was a little strange.

"We're headed for that ol' mexican villiage on the border. I don't remember what it's called but I remember it's there." She replied, breaking her train of thought. Chavez nodded behind her and added, "We only have a day to ride I believe, and it is called Juarez."

Billy nodded and sped up, leaving everyone else in the dust. Lila assumed he was going ahead to scout around so she didn't bother keeping up with him. He made good points though, making it to old Mexico was going to be difficult. She didn't feel like dieing from renagade indians or scalp hunters, or thorns. _Plus what about John? You promised to avenge his death. You're wussing out Lila, Murphy is the other direction._ The voice in her head from the funeral returned, sounding much like her brother but also strangely like Dick.

"Something wrong chica?" Chavez's voice whispered in her ear.

"Yeah, just thinking about our route more."

"You starting to agree with Billy?" Doc asked, suddenly beside them. Charlie and Steve were also close by now. Lila suspected they just didn't want to be around Billy and nodded. She heard Doc sigh and turned to him in annoyance. "What? You don't think I should agree with Billy? He makes a good point, not to mention I have a promise to keep." She patted her gun. "That promise is held inside this pistol and is promised to Murphy's head."

Doc sighed again and shook his head. "I didn't say anything. I just don't think you should think about it anymore, we're mexicans come morning remember?"

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then we'll tie ya up to that horse o' yours and drag ya to Mexico." Steve piped up. Charlie nodded from beside him and Lila felt Chavez's hands tighten around her waist, signaling her agreed with them. She narrowed her eyes at all of them, except Chavez since she couldn't see him, and snorted. "Billy's right, you're all afraid. I ain't afraid of Murphy, I ain't afraid of anyone. Murphy killed the hospital, he killed John and he sent someone to kill Dick! And you're all gonna take that layin' down?!"

Everyone was silent. In the silence Lila saw Steve and Charlie avert their eyes but Doc kept looking at her, with the same expression on his face. This time she just glared at him, which she could see surprised him. He nodded again and looked back at the plains ahead of them. Billy was riding back and everyone stopped for a moment, except Lila.

* * *

"El Chivato!"

The residents of Juarez seemed to think Billy was a god or something, irking Lila to the point of sitting on her horse sulking. No one was paying much attention to the rest of the Regulators, only Billy. He got them a nice place to stay and some food at least.

"Aw Lila, you jealous?" Billy teased. Next time anyone saw him he was limping slightly, cursing under his breath.

Lila layed on her bed with her eyes closed, soaking in the atmosphere of an actual room, and didn't notice the door opening until someone cleared their throat. She turned slightly and saw Doc, sitting on a chair backwards, watching her. "Did you want something Doc?" She huffed. Just when she was getting comfortable someone had to interupt her, typical.

When Doc didn't answer she sat up strait and looked at him with a frown. "What's wrong Doc? You're kinda worryin' me here." That seemed to knock him out of whatever daze he was in. He sat up on the chair and sighed. "Nothing, i'm just wondering if i'm making the right choice. Chavez told me he tried to skin out but Billy convinced him to stay. I don't know if Billy could convince me to stay."

Lila chuckled. "Nah, I can tell Billy gets on your nerves." She hesitated then scooted over and patted the space next to her. When Doc sat down she frowned a little and looked at him again. "But...could I convince you to stay?" Doc looked at her solemnly and kind of shook his head, as if he wasn't sure. Lila tried a new tactic, "Then, could Yen convince you to stay?"

"It doesn't matter, i'm never seeing her again." The man beside her mumbled. She patted him on the shoulder, unsure of what else to do, then she felt him lean back slightly and wrap an arm around her shoulders. They stayed like that for a bit longer until Lila heard him snoring softly. He fell asleep on her, what nerve. Snickering she removed the arm from her person and left him to sleep in peace.

Absently she fiddled with the cowgirl doll she kept in her pocket while she walked around the small town. Everyone was staring at her as she walked past them but when she looked at them back they averted their gazes. It was like being back in the Indian reservation, only without the chance of being skinned and scalped.

Finally she found Steve and Chavez standing by the mule's. Chavez seemed to be talking while Steve's eyes were widening. Both her and Steve were surprised when Chavez stuck his hand out for Steve to shake. Lila giggled when Steve looked at the mule's for help before shaking the extended hand. "Aw that's sweet, ya'll are finally gettin' along." Both men rolled their eyes in response but she saw the smile on both men's mouths.

"By the way, anyone seen Billy or Charlie?" She questioned when they started walking with her. Steve volunteered to find them and Lila accepted, if only to be alone with Chavez for a bit. Once Steve left she jumped when she felt a hand entwine with hers. Though her stomach started flying when she saw it was Chavez's. "Think Billy'll stand stayin' in Old Mexico for very long?"

"I don't think he'll be going to Old Mexico. If I know Billy, which I do, he'll either sneak out at night or just take off when we're not looking. He's serious about his revenge, I think partially because of you chica."

"Me?"

"In his mind Murphy has taken away his surrogate father but he's taken away much more then that to the only real family member he has. Which is you. He's angry because Murphy has killed your entire family and in turn that means Murphy has killed _his_ family as well. You are both related thus Billy wants revenge for his family."

Lila was stunned. Partly because she didn't realize that he was right. Billy was related to her so every time she mentioned Murphy and what he did to her family she was inadvertently talking about his family also. And partly because she didn't realize Chavez could be that deep. She wondered if he knew things about her. "I hadn't thought of that..."

"No, I don't think he even thinks about it like that all of the time. I see it in his eyes whenever you used to cry about your family or when he'd see you sniff in your sleep. He wants to protect his only family member left and the best way he knows how it to kill the threat."

Before she could reply Steve ran past them, shouting, "Charlie's gettin' married!" while running. Lila blinked in shock, kissed Chavez on the cheek then ran the opposite direction that Steve had run. After a few minutes she found Charlie sitting on a hill, fiddling with his hands, while a woman got up and walked off-smiling the whole way. Lila took her seat without question.

"You can't talk me out of it Lila, i've made up my mind." Charlie mumbled before she opened her mouth. Lila just shrugged and allowed them to sit there in silence. It was obvious that her presence calmed him immensely. She could feel his tension before she sat down and now he was somewhat relaxed. It was how her brother used to feel without her around.

"You love her right?"

"Of course I do. I've known her for a long time."

"Then I have no right to try and talk you out of it."

* * *

It was a lovely marriage ceremony in Lila's opinion. Filled with Mexican influence and lots of dancing. She was currently dancing with Steve, who asked her the second that the reception started. Laughing she spun around in his arms and landed into the embrace of Doc. They kept that up, spinning her around until she landed into someone else's waiting arms.

After a few times she started to get dizzy but she couldn't stop laughing long enough to tell them that. Finally Billy took notice and stopped her to take her to get a drink. Lila downed the drink and gave Billy an appreciative kiss on the cheek before heading back to the dance floor. She saw Chavez dancing with a young girl, no older then eleven it appeared, so she scanned the area for anyone without a dance partner.

Before she could find anyone Charlie swept her up to dance. "How'd you like the wedding?" He asked while he dipped her. When she could stop giggling she praised him, and the mother in law. They had done a great job with everything, and she joked that he made a pretty good rehearsal groom but now Manuela could move onto the real groom. Charlie mock glared at her but smiled anyway.

It took a few more dances, then Lila was effectively tired and a little sore. She saw a seat next to Doc that was open and took it, fanning herself as she sat down, drawing a chuckle from her seating partner. "Tired already? You danced much longer then this at the New Years party."

"Yeah but I wasn't being spun around every few seconds either."

"Ah you loved it."

Lila stuck her tongue out in response, drawing out another chuckle from the man beside her. She turned her attention back to the dance floor and laughed when she saw Steve dancing with an old woman while Chavez danced with the same little girl but she didn't see Billy anywhere. Standing up she finally saw him giving his trademark hat to a little boy, who ran off after Billy put the hat on him.

She tensed and reached for the pistol around her waist when she saw him do the same thing. Excusing herself from Doc's company she snuck around the dancers and ducked behind a wall next to Billy to listen to what he was saying.

"...supper time. I figure you were the only fella with the pluck to get the McSween partisans across the border."

Lila recognized, vaguely, the voice of Pat Garret, and got confused. Why was Pat Garret here, telling Billy that Alex and Susan were in danger? It then hit her that Alex and Susan were in danger. Panic rose in her gut. She pushed it down and ran off toward the stables. Grabbing the horses she ran back out to see Garret walking away.

She ran up to Billy and wordlessly handed him the reins to Star. He said nothing to her, just got on the horse and shot a single bullet into the sky. "Regulators! Let's saddle up!"

Lila waited for Chavez then hopped on behind him. The panic that was pushed down earlier returned ten full when she saw Charlie holding Manuela, contemplating whether or not he should join them. She couldn't let him come. He had a wife now, it was his wedding night and everything. She opened her mouth to say something but Billy cut her off. "Charlie you should stay, you can't shoot worth a piss anyhow. 'Sides your girls crying and it's givin' me a headache."

"Charlie you have a wife now, you should stay." Doc added.

Lila saw Charlie struggle and decided to end his conflict. She whipped out her gun and pointed it at him, making sure to look him dead in the eyes. "It's your choice Charlie. You can stay here and not be injured, or you could take a step toward Nebraska and have a bullet through your leg...and stay anyway. I ain't lettin' you put yourself in danger when you just got married. It ain't fair to you and it ain't fair to her."

Charlie took a small step and Lila clicked her gun. When it appeared to him that she was serious he sighed but made no move toward Nebraska. Lila nodded in satisfaction. He'd be safe here. No one would come here to find any of them, especially now that they were riding right into the heart of danger.

"It ain't easy havin' pals." She told Charlie before stowing her gun. They both knew she could pull it back out again but all Charlie did was nod. He took a last glance at everyone, wishing them good luck silently, then walked the other way with Manuela still around him. Back with the group Billy shrugged and took off, everyone else following closely behind.

Lila looked back for a second then turned away to her future. Charlie was safe, she just hoped everyone else stayed safe and alive. _I don't know what i'd do if anyone else died..._

* * *

:D Chapter seventeen is finally finished! R&R please?


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